Summary: Prayer may not be a physical piece of armor, but it is necessary to be able to fight against the enemy and comunicate with the Lord

We have given examples of how God wants us to wear and use all of these pieces.

We have seen that believers need to be engaged in spiritual warfare and be successful and not beaten up by the enemy that wants to destroy us.

I said last week that all of these pieces of armor are for defensive purposes except one.

Only one is an offensive weapon. That is the Word of God!

Nothing that we can do in ourselves is able to defeat the enemy of God.

Nothing in ourselves can defeat the problems that go on inside our lives - except prayer!

Prayers offered up to Almighty God. Having a conversation with God the Father!

He is not the man upstairs; He is our Father in heaven.

Prayer is a communication with God that makes life bearable

That makes things possible

That puts truth to things that we do not understand.

Last time for a while, turn to Ephesians 6, and we will read just verses 18-20.

Ephesians chapter 6:18-6:20

I have said if you are not reading the word of God and praying, you literally have no weapon against the enemy.

For some of you for the last several weeks, we have been in basic training and today you are graduating out of boot camp and ready to take what you have learned and what you have been given and ready to do something for the Lord.

Most people associate prayer with troubles and hardships we go through.

No problems, no prayer life!

We have problems and we cannot go to God fast enough to tell him what we need Him to do for us.

Intimacy with God starts with a pure heart.

Pure hearts does not mean a perfect heart or a heart that is free of guilt.

• It means that we need to come to God honestly.

Come to Him where we are at, so He can take us where we need to go. (repeat)

Prayer is so important in your relationship with God that you cannot go higher than your prayer life.

Your walk with God can never go deeper than the time you spend with God.

Prayer connects us with the heart of God while society and the world try to tear down our relationship with God.

When most people think of spiritual warfare, they think of devil stomping, rebuking evil spirits, binding and loosing something….and it can be!

But most of the spiritual warfare goes on right inside of you.

I want you to see something right up front- 3 points.

1. Priority of prayer

2. Persistence of prayer

3. Power of prayer

(v18-19)

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I may fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”

Capital S here, Spirit- meaning not out spirit, but the Holy Spirit.

On all occasions, on all kinds of prayers and request.

Make sure your prayers and request line up with God’s will and ask the Father.